Iatrogenic Bile Duct Injury Associated with Anomalies of the Right Hepatic Sectoral Ducts : A Misunderstood and Underappreciated Problem

Abstract EN

Although laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has been widely accepted as the standard of care, it continues to have a higher complication rate than open cholecystectomy.

Bile duct injury with LC has often been attributed to surgical inexperience, but it is also clear that aberrant bile ducts are present in a significant number of patients who sustain biliary injuries during these procedures.

We present three cases of right sectoral hepatic duct injuries which occurred during LC and provide a discussion of the conditions which are likely to lead to these injuries, as part of a strategy to prevent them.